Update: Lexington elementary school construction projects

Students are heading back to school. See how the progress of the school building construction projects are shaping up.

Marc Filippino/Staff Writer

Project Cost: $22 million

Completion: Fall 2013

The Project: Plans included adding four new classrooms in each school, as well as new administrative space designed to enhance security at the entrance of each of the elementary schools.

Project Update: A little more than a year after beginning the renovation processes, this fall construction will finish at the Bridge and Bowman schools. According to Director of Public Facilities Patrick Goddard, the schools’ roof renovations, room expansions and other assorted fix-ups were complete and cleaned up for the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The next and final step is to convert the old boiler rooms in both Bridge and Bowman into two classrooms. Goddard said the conversion would end sometime in October.

Bowman Principal Mary Anton said the rooms will be used for art and music classes for the remainder of this school year, once the conversion is completed. Bowman will use the rooms for fourth grade classrooms at the start of the 2014-2015 school year, said Anton.

"We did not want fourth grade teachers to have to make a move after school started, so our art and music teachers were generous in being willing to work in classrooms for the first month," said Anton.

Bridge Elementary School Principal Meg Colella said when the rooms are finished they will be used for special education classes.

Goddard said the construction would be completed during non-school hours, as to not disrupt teachers and students.

Estabrook on track to finish February

Completion date: February 2014
Project Cost: $45 million

The Project: After finding the current school unsuitable for learning due to inadequate space, insufficient infrastructure and the presence of PCB’s, Lexington residents vote in favor of a debt exclusion in 2012 to fund a new Estabrook Elementary School.

The new building will have three floors, each dedicated to a certain set of grade level classrooms. A two-story gym and library will be included on the second and third floors.

Project Update: Director of Public Facilities Patrick Goddard said the Estabrook Elementary School is still on schedule for its opening in February.

As of Friday, Sept. 6, Project Manager Jean McQuestion said the roof and the majority of the windows were installed. Additionally, champagne-colored metal panels are being installed in several areas of the building including the stairwell and outside the gym and library.

The building has three interior stairs and McQuestion said the third stairwell is near completion.

McQuestion said ceramic tiles in the restrooms will be installed over the next two weeks, as well as ceiling grids.